Pneumatic thread remover



Dec- 2 1951 s. N. PETERSON PNEUMATIC THREAD REMOVER Filed March 8, 1950 r k III'IIIIIIIIIIII INVENTOR GEORGE N. PETERSON ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 25, 1951 ems 2,580,191 f ,HIEIJMATIQ ZEHREADBEMQVEB' George N. Beterson, W0rcester, Mass., assignor to Cromwell & leshoom. Worksfllloreesr tor, aeetne eei li sseehusetts Application March'g, 1959; SerialNo. 148,375

1 This is a continuation in part of=my-co-pend-in application Serial No. 102,547, filed "July wee.

now: abandoned.

This invention relates to pneumatie thread removers for weft replenishing looms and one of the objects ofthe invention is to provide 'a remover so cons'trueted that rebou-nding'of the positioning or carrier part of the remover incident to movement to operating position will not materiaily effect correct" location of the'piek-up head of'the remover relative to'the thread to be renl p d n .ee ein types o Wef re h loom eeus eme y te s e p m e thr d'r between the reserve "bobbin magazine and the e r arm d i w ih f a e mo e p y th rem v r likely t e eund p ar ly en ,e heid by the friction means in a position too hiei to. e eh t th it. is an important object of the present "invention to provide a'thread remover having a thread pick-up head and a positioner or carrier con-' neoted to each other by aresilient tubeorthe l e. w ch; eu per ef the eed e el nt or gdeformedon itself when-the oarrier moves tov hread pies-u po it n s ha i th r houl he upward rebounding of the carrier the tube, by tending to resume its normal shape, will hold the' head down in correct position to pick up th h ea in the operation of weft replenishing looms it oocasionally happens that an improperly bo xed s'huttle willbe in position to be struck by the thread remover when the latter tries to move to thread pick-up position. Itis a further object of the invention to make -the thread remover with an inherently resilient part which can yield upwardly under such conditions, and laterally if'the' shuttle sheuld be motion along the u 1 ln previous patents, suohas Nos. 2,475,987 and 2,482,690, I have shown thread removers which K provide a slight air leakage or bleed when the remover is in normal position :to prevent accidental removal of the thread. It is another ob.- iect of the present invention .to .provide means causing avsmall jet of leakage .toenter oneof 1 ZZiGIaims; (01339 256) :will appear as the description proceeds, the i frame and the lay being i and h remov r being its no mal 191?. 124.

the. tubes. or the mechanism a ash. emrection asi toset .up .a .whirling. stream. of. air which causes. the :thread. to. scrapeand clean the tuloeof lint and. dust drawn into the. tube by .subatmose pherie pressures.

It is. a further objectoi the invention l lmqlk one of the. pneumatic tubesof the remoiler-syfi'z tern serve asa bearing fonanothertuhe angularly movable on the. first tube, either 20. thread. 11191;: up position or to .nonepiekeup. position,

It is a still further objeet'oi the, invention to, provide. the. remover with conical hearin 9. 4 115 whichv are. automatically; kept inoloseensaw: with .eaehother to. red-nee. ail 9.55. 5. to. 9

minimum.

With. these. and. other objects in View .whioh vention resides in the eombina-tion and; arran e m of parts hereinaiterdesorih d andset io ih,

In th ac ompa y n drawi s where n. tw forms of the invention are .Set tor 1:13,.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation. of artoi; a weiire: p i hing m ehanismhavin the p e erre of t -m io appl ed thereto part .5 th .1991}? se seet ei or nonepiek-unpos tioa .:Fig. 2..i.s an enla g d plan iew look n the direction oiarrow' F g.

ri is enlar ed. ertieel eeet e lire mg. 11 is enlar ed e t ca sec ion. on line 4:74;, Fig. 2; showin the par s n thepositi ils they assum when the r morer iaet yeer .nonenio vun position Fig. 5 is similar to Fig. 4, but shows the parts ei e isa horizontal s e onon. l ne 6ft. 55%

ere

delivery eye of the shuttle, and that part of the thread extending from the thread cutting mechanism back to the sewage will extend across the pad l8.

The matter thus far described is of common construction and of itself forms no part of the 4 dimension extending in the direction of the length of the lay. Tube 52 has an air passage 56 leading from the intake mouth 54 toward the carrier 25 and communicating with an air pas- 5 sage 51 in the resilient tube 56. While the head 5| has been described as made of metallic parts it is not necessarily thus made. The hub 26 and head; 5|,- together with the parts between them, comprise a pneumatic thread remover designated at R, see Fig. 2, having an air and thread passage present invention except as noted hereinafter.

The invention is not limited in its use to rocking magazines such as shown at M. 1 In carrying the preferred form of the inventio into effect the loom frame |l1 has secured thereto a small stand or support held in vertically adjusted position on the loom frame by bolts 2| and having a pivot tube 22 secured thereto in angularly adjusted position by a set screw 23. A positioner or carrier member 25 has a hub 26 surrounding the tube 22, and a curved rigid preferably metallic tube 21 is secured in any desired manner tohub 26 and extends through the latter, see Fig. 4, so that an air passage 28 therein opens through a bearing surface 29 on the interior of hub 26. The tube 22 has attached to the right end thereof a hose or the like 36 which may be considered a source of subatmospheric pressures, since it is pneumatically connected to an exhaust pump (not shown), or other means for creating a partial vacuum within the tube 22 tending-to move air through the tube in the direction of arrow a, Fig. 3.

therethrough leading from mouth 54 to head 40.

A resetter60 for the remover includes a flexible thong 6| secured at its rear end to the lay as at B2 and at its forward end to the carrier 25, as

In operation, the remover R will normally be in the raised idle position shown in Fig. 1 with the head 5| above the shuttle path. The tube 50, although elastic or resilient, is able to hold the 20 head 5| in raised position when the carrier or positioner is in normal inactive or non-pick-up position. The spring 43 creates sufiicient frictional engagement between bearing 26 and head 40 to hold the remover R in any position to. which 25 it may moved. When a bobbin transfer occurs The carrier 25 is provided with a lateral stud 3| extending into a slot 32 in the lower end of a depressing link 33 pivoted as at 34 to the transferrer arm l4. This link 32 may be made of upper and lower parts 35 and 36, respectively,

adjustably connected as at 31 so that the length tween the stand 26 and hub 26 of the carrier 25 and tends to hold the hub seated firmly on head 40.

The head 46 has a laterally opening port 44 extending therethrough and a shallow recess or air passageway 45 communicating with the port and extending circumferentially therefrom around part of the exterior surface 46 of the head 40.

Tube 21 serves as a carrier for a piece of resilient tubing 5|! which is fitted over'its-rear end. Tube 56 may conventiently be made of soft elastic plastic or rubber. To the rear end of tubing 50 there is fitted a thread pick-up head 5| including a metal tube 52 extending into tube 50. A thread tongue or hook 53 is located readward of the intake mouth 54 at the rear end of tube 52 and extends downwardly to a position below the mouth. Tongue 53 may be formed integrally with a thin metal shield plate 55 secured to the top of tube 52. The intake mouth is preferably long and narrow with its longer transferrer arm l4 will descend and cause link 33 to rock the carrier 25 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 around tube 22 as-a pivot against a stop on stand 26. Descent of the remover will lower the elastic tube 50 and move head 5| against the lay to the position shown in Fig. 8. The link 33 is of such length that it will continue to lower the tube 21 after head 52 is in its lowest position, thereby stressing or bending the tube 50 to the deformed shape shown in full lines in Fig. 11 in which it tends to lower the head 5|.

As already explained the spring 43 will force bearing 26 against conical head 40 and cause these parts to holdthe remover R frictionally in the full line position shown in Fig. 11, but if the friction should slip slightly due to upward rebound incident to striking of the carrier 25 against the stop 65, the carrier will turn slightly in a .clockwise direction, Fig. 2. Should this happen the rubber tube 5|, tending to assume its normal shape, will change from the full line to the dotted line position of Fig. 11, but will continue to hold the head 52 down with hook or 50 tongue 53embedded in the pile material l8. Be-

cause of the resilience of tube 5| it will be seen that-a moderate amount of rebounding of carrier 25 can occur without lifting the head 52 tca positionin which it would miss the thread T.

When the remover R is down in thread pick-up position air passage 28 in tube 21 will be registered with port 44 in head 40, and subatmospheric pressures existing in the source 30 will cause a stream of air to flow into mouth 54 and forwardly 60 through port 44 and into passage 4|.

I Bobbin transfer ordinarily occurs when the lay is at front center, or the position shown in Fig. l, and as the lay moves rearwardly the thread T will be directed by tongue or lip 53 toward intake mouth 54 and be drawn pneumatically into the latter and along the interior of elastic tube 50 through air passage 28 and directly to and through port 44' into the passage 4| in pivot tube 22. At this time the remover and tube 22 are in the relative angular position shown in Fig. 5. The thong or resetter 60will straighten from the slack position of Fig. 8 to the taut position of Fig. 9 as the lay moves to its back center position and rock the carrier .25 and other parts of theremover R back: to normal non pick up position with the p'asfsage' 28 out of register with port Mlibutin register with recess or restricted passageway '45 as shown Fig. 4. The recess 45 has a crossseetioziai area considerably less than'that of pert- 44. 1 e i.

It will be noticed that when the partsare in the position shown in Fig. 4 the air stream movingdownwardly in passage 28 will be de-' fiected by the recess 35 in a direction circumferential of the tube 22 and will then pass throughthe port 44 and enter the tube- 22 in a direction more or less tangentially, or at least directed to on Sid of the axis or thetube 22.

Because of the direction in which the jet of airenters tube 22, and also because the air-is drawn along the interior of tube 22, the jet moves in a more or less helical or swirling path the effect of which is to revolve the thread in the tube and direct it against the inner walls of the tube 22to dislodge any lint or dust which may be drawn into and collect on the interior walls ofthe tube. Whenthe invention has been made with the tube 22 transparent this rotary or revolving motion of the thread can be clearly seen. The thread also moves around in the recess 45 tending to clear it of lint.

Atthe time the thread is drawn-into the remover it will be connected atone end to the cloth, and it is for this reason that thehelica'lly moving stream of air in tube 22 can revolvethe thread. Several picks of the loom after the remover has returned to its non-pick-up po- "sition the thread will be cut at the cloth s'elvage and will then move through the remover R, tube 22 and hose to some form of known thread collector (not shown). While recess is shallow it should be deep enough to allow a knot in the thread to pass through it;

In the preferred form of the invention the recess is in the tube 22, but if desired it may be formed in the hub which carries the small metal tube 21. In the modification shown in Fig. 12 the bearing or hub 10 corresponding to hearing or hub 26 has an interior bearing" surface H into which is cut a recess 12 registering with the air passage 28 and extending circumferentially around the bearing surface ll so that when the parts are in their inactive or non-pickbend if struck by a forwardly moving shuttle.

Since the tube is made of resilient or elastic material it is evident that head '52 can move in any direction when striking or being struckby the shuttle. In the past pneumatic thread removers have been yieldable in a forward direction only and the pick-up head has not been mounted for universal movement.

From the foregoing it'will'be seen that the invent'ion provides a pneumatic thread remover having the thread pick-up head 5| and carrier or positioner 25 connected by a resilient or elastic tube 50 which not only permits universal movement of the head but also acts to maintain the head in pick-up position "even though "the carrier 25 should.reboundslightly aftenbein'g. moved. .to pick-up or operating positions The link 33 is adjustable as. to. length and will. ordi narily depress or'rock the carrier 25 sufliciently to place the tube 50 under stress for the purposes already described; The tube 50, being hollow, forms; part of the pneumatic system andflls strong enough to hold the headv 5| out ofthe path of theishuttle when theremover is in idle position. Furthermore, the tube 22 serves .as:a pivotal -mounting' for the remover R," and its conical head 40 and spring tend to maintain aclo'se frictional fit with the remover which reduces air lossesto a minimum and tends to hold the remover in. any positiont'o-whichit may be moved. When the remover is in thread pick -up' position its air and thread passage will register with the .port 44 or '14, but'when in 'no n -pick up position its air passage will be out of register with the port and air leaving the; remover Will travel along a circumferential recess and enter tube -22"or"l3 -in--a direction at one side of'their axes to setup a rotation of air which causes the thread" to revolve and clean the recess and air passage; The plug 122 canbe removed to clean any accumulation of lint or dust in the stationary tubular member which may not be loosened by the thread.

"Having thus described the invention it will be'seen't'hat changes and modifications of" the foregoing specific disclosure maybe made without departing from the spirit and scope of'the invention. v What is claimed as new is:

1. In a pneumatic thread remover mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a thread remaining incident to a weft replenishing oper tied, '2. ca 7r movably mounted on the loom normally. in inoperative position but movable to operating position and within which subatmo'spheric pressures exist when the carrier is in opcrating position, a hollow thread pick-up head having an intake mouth, a resilient tube normally sup orting the pick-Lip head in non-pickup'po'sition and supported by. the carrier, means operating'incident to a weft replenishing operation moving the carrier from] the "normal position thereof 'tothe operating position therefor and e'iiec'tivge to locate thehead' i'n thr'ead *pidk ap osition relatively "to the weft thread and? deform thetiib ffroin'the normalshapethe'reof and cause the, tube to, tend "to mo e the nead'beyond the pick-imposition thereof with rerereneetetne normalpositionthereof, and means tending'jto hold the carrier in the operative position thereof,

said tube 'beingefffective incident to Slight move: ment of the carrier from the operating position thereof toward the inoperative position thereof against the action of the last named meansto hold "the head in pick-up position due to the tendencyof said tube to assume thenormal shape thereof.

v2'. In'pneumatic thread'removermechanism for a weft replenishing "loom having aweft thread remaining along the lay incident to a weft replenishingoperation of 'th'e'loom, a carrier mounteditor movement relative to the loom, means nor many holding the carrier in inoperative position and tending to hold the carrier'in any position to which the carrier is moved, a thread pick-up head'h'aving anint'ake mouth, a. soft elastic tube in which subatmospheric pressures exist when the carrieris 'in'operatin'g position connecting the headiand carrier and; normally holding the head in =in'operativeposition, said mouth communicating pneumatically with the interior of the tube, means effective on a weft replenishing operation of the loom moving'said carrier from the normal inoperative position thereof to the operatingv position thereof and causing the carrier acting in, cooperation with the tube to move said head against the. lay to thread pick-up position relatively to said weft thread and causing the tube to be deformed from the normal shape thereof in such a direction as to tend to move the head a against the lay, said carrier tending to rebound from the operative position thereof and thetube incident'to rebounding of the carrier returning from the deformed shape thereof toward the normal shape thereof. to maintain the head in thread pick-up position.

3. In pneumatic thread remover mechanism for a weft replenishing loom, a carrier movably mounted on the loom normally in inoperative position, a thread pick-up head having an intake mouth for the thread, a resilient tubular member within which subatmospheric pressures exist when the head is in thread pick-up position, said tube being supported by the carrier and supporting the head and normally holding the latter in inoperative position when the carrier is in inoperative position, the interior of the tube being in pneumatic communication with said mouth, and means operative incident to a weft replenishing operation of the loom to move said carrier relatively to the loom in a direction to move said tube and head toward the lay, said tube being deflectable laterally in the event that the head engages a misplaced shuttle.

, 4. In pneumatic thread remover mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a weft thread extending along the lay thereof incident to a weft replenishing operation, a support fixed with respect to the loom, a carrier pivoted on said support normally in inoperative position but movable to operative position and having a hollow part in which subatmospheric pressures exist when the carrier is in operative position, a thread pick-up head having a thread intake mouth, a soft elastic'tube supported by the carrier and supporting the head, the intake mouth communicatingpneumati-cally through said tube with said hollow part of the carrier, and means operating incident to a weft replenishing operation of the 100m moving said carrier relatively to said support to the operative position thereof in a direction to cause said tubular member to move theheadjto thread pick-up position with respect to said weft thread and continue to move said car,- rier after the head is in thread pick-up position to deform said tube, said tube in the event that the carrier moves from the operating position thereof toward the inoperative position thereof acting due to the tendency of said tube to resume the normal form thereof to hold the head in thread pick-up position.

5. A pneumatic thread remover for a weft replenishing loom, said remover comprising a car"- rier formed with a hollow part, a soft elastic tube supported by the carrier having the interior there of communicating pneumatically with said hollow part, and a thread pick-up head supported by the tube and having an intake mouth communicating pneumatically with said hollow part of the carrier through said tube.

6. In a pneumatic thread remover for a weft replenishing loom having a pivotal support thereon, said remover comprising a carrier adapted for pivotal mounting on the support, a metallic tube forming part of the carrier, the latter having a 8 hollow part thereof communicating pneumatically with the interior of said tube, a soft elastic tube mounted on said metallic tube, and a thread pickup head supported by the elastic tube and having a thread intake mouth communicatingpnew matically through theelastic tube with them terior of said metallic tube.

7. In a pneumatic thread remover fora weft replenishing loom having a thread to be re: moved, a stationary tubular member having an air passage therein and in which subatmospheric pressures exist, a thread remover unit rotatable on the tubular member having an air passage therein-leading transversely from said tubular member to a thread intake mouth in the unit remote from the tubular member, the latter hav ing a laterally opening port therein registrable with said air passage, and mechanism operated by the loom moving the unit angularly on the unit on the tubular member to a position inwhich the air passage is out of register with said port.

8. In pneumatic thread remover mechanism for a thread extending along the lay of a weft replenishing loom, a stationary tubular member extending in a direction generally parallel to. the lay and having an air and thread passage'therein extending along the axis thereof and in which subatmospheric pressures exist, a hollow thread remover having a thread intake mouth and an air and thread passage therein leading from the mouth to the tubular member, and means 'mounting the remover for angular motion about the tubular member toward and from the lay, the tubular member having a laterally opening port capable of registry with the air passage in the remover, said remover when moved about the tubular member toward the lay causing registry of the air passage with the port and when moved about the tubular member away from the lay causing the air passage to be out of register with said port.

9. In a pneumatic thread remover for a weft replenishing loom having a thread to be removed extending along a lay, a fixed tube in front of the lay extending in the direction of the length of the lay and in which subatmospheric pressures exist, a second tube disposed transverselyof the fixed tube mounted for angular motion on the latter to be either in thread pick-up position or in nonpickup position and having a thread in take mouth at the end thereof remote from the first tube communicating with anair passage in the second tube leading to the fixed tube, the stationary tube having a port opening laterally therethrough registrable with said air-passage, and operating mechanism for ,the secondtube moving the latter to pick-up position and causing said air passage to register with said port and thereafter moving the second tube to nonpick-up position in which said air passageis out of register with the port. 7

10. In pneumatic thread remover mechanism for a loom, a hollow member having an elongated thread and air passage therein in which subatmospheric pressures exist, a thread remover having a thread and air passage therethrough, and means between said air passages directing air. moving from the passage in the remover into the passage in the hollow member transversely of they latter and to one side of the axis of the air pas-1 sage therein.

11. In pneumatic thread remover mechanism 9 for aloom, a hollow memberhaving an elongated thread and air passage therein closed at one end thereof through which air passes in a direction from said one end to the other end thereof, a thread remover having a thread and air passage therein, and means between said passage in the 12.- In a pneumatic thread removing system for I a loom having a thread to be removed extending along a lay, said system'having anintake mouth for the thread and a source of subatmospheric pressures, a stationary tubular member pneumatically connected to said'source and having an: air passage'therein' fr rmed with a port openlng laterally therethrough from the axis of said passage, a remover member mounted for angular movement on the fixed member and having an air passage therein with said intake mouth at the end thereof remote from the fixed member, and means causing a thread extending from the air passage in the remover through said port into the fixed member to revolve against the interior of the fixed member to clear the latter of lint, said means including a passageway in the system leading from said air passage in the remover member to the port and causing air to move through the port in a direction to one side of the axis of the air passage in the stationary member.

13. In a pneumatic thread removing system for a -l'oom having a thread to be removed extending along a lay, said system having an intake mouth for-the thread and a source of subatmospheric pressures, a stationary tubular member pneumatically connected to said source and formed with a port opening laterally therethrough from the axis thereof, a remover member mounted for angular movement on the fixed member and having an air passage therein with said intake mouth at the end thereof remote from the fixed memher, one of said members having a recess therein communicating with the port and extending circumierentially therefrom, said members in one relative angular position causing the air passage to register with the port to enable air moving through the system to move a thread from the air passage directly through said port into the stationary tubular members, and said members when in a different relative angular position. causing the air passage to register with the re cess'so that air moving through the system will move the thread along said recess to said port, said recess causing air moving therefrom through the port to be directed to one side of the axis of the stationary tubular memberto impart a swirling motion to the thread causing the latter to revolve in the stationary member and remove lint from the interior thereof.

14. In a pneumatic thread remover for a weft replenishing loom having a thread to be removed extending along a lay, a fixed tubular member in front of the lay extending in the direction of the length of the lay and in which subatmospheric pressures exist, a second tubular member having an air passage therein disposed transversely of the fixed tube mounted for angular motion about the latter to be either in thread pick-up position or in non-pick-up position and having a thread intake mouth at the end of the air passage remote from the first tube, the sta "as remover unit relatively to the tube to a position 7 tionary tube having a port opening laterally therethrough, one of said members having-therein a recess communicating with and extending circ'umferentially from the port and of less cross sectional area than that of the port, and operating mechanism for the second tubular member moving the latter to the pick-up position thereof and causing said air passage to register with the port and thereafter moving the second tubular member to the non-pick-up position thereof to register said air passage with the recess.

15. In a pneumatic thread remover for a weft replenishing loom having a thread to be removed, a stationary tubular member in which subatmosph'eric pressures exist having a laterally opening port therein, a remover member having an air passage therein and mounted for angular movement .on the first member to be either in thread pick-up position or nonpick-up position, the remover member having a thread intake mouth communicating with said air passage at the end thereof remote from the first member. the remover member when in thread pick-up position causing the air passage therein to register with said port and when in non-pick-up position causing the air passage therein to be out of register with said port, one of said members having a recess communicating with the port and having a cross sectional area less than that of the port and extending circumferentially of the member in which it is formed, and mechanism operated by the loom turning the remover member on the tubular member to the thread pick-up position thereof in which said air passage registers with the port and thereafter turning the remover member on the tubular member to nonpick-up position with said air passage out of register with the port and in register with the recess and the latter requiring air moving from the air passage into th tubular member to travel along the recess circumferentially of the tubular member and enter the latter in a direction to one side of the axis thereof. 1

16. In pneumatic thread removing mechanism :3 for aweft replenishing loom having a thread extending along a lay, a stationary support, a tubul ar" member fixed to the support and having a conical head on one end thereof, a pneumatic thread remover member having a bearing fitting the conical head, a spring between said support and the bearing holding the latter in close engagement with the head. said tube having a port opening laterally from the interior thereof, and said remover having an air passage therein, said bearing movable angularly on the tube to one position in which said port registers with the air passage and'to another position in which the port is out of register with the air passage.

17. In pneumatic thread removing mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a thread extending along a lay, a support, a tube secured to the support and having a conical head on one end thereof, said head having a laterally opening port communicating with the interior of the tube, a thread remover unit angularly movable on the tube and having a bearing fitting the conical head and having an air passage opening through the bearing for registry with the port,

,; resilient means between the support and the remover unit holding said bearing of the latter in close fit with said head, and means turning the unit on the tube to cause registry of'the port with the air passage and thereafter moving the 1 i in which the port is out of register with the air passage.

18. In pneumatic thread removing mechanism for a Weft replenishing loom having a thread extending along a lay, a support, a tube secured to the support having a conical head thereon at oneside of the support, the smaller end of said head being toward the support, a thread remover unit rotatably mounted on the tube and having a bearing fitting said head, the latter having a laterally opening port communicating with the interior of the tube and the remover unit having an air passage therein registrab-le with said port, resilient means operatively interposed between thesupport and the unit holding the bearing of the latter in close fit with the conical head, and

means turning the remover unit on the tube first to one position in which the port registers with the air passage and then to another position in which the port is out of register with the air passage.

19. A pneumatic thread remover unit for a weft replenishing loom, said unit including a support, a tubular member secured to the support and having a conical head at one end thereof through which extends a port communicating with the interior of the tubular member, a thread remover member pivotally mounted on the tubular member and having a bearing fitting said head and having an air passage therein leading from said head to a thread intake mouth, and a spring between the support and the remover member holding the bearing in close fit with said head. the remover member when in one angular positionrespect to the tubular member registering the air passage therein with said port and when in a different angular position with respect. to the tubular member causing the passage therein to be out of register with the port.

20. A pneumatic thread remover unit for a weft replenishing loom, said unit including a support, a tubular member secured to the support and having a conical head at one end thereof through which extends a port communicating with the interior of the tubular member, a thread remover member pivotally mounted on the tubular member and having a bearing fitting said head and through which extends an air passage, and a spring between the support and the remover member holding the bearing of the latter in close fit with said head, the remover member when in one angular position with respect to the tubular member. registering the passage thereof with said port and when in a different angular position with respect to the tubular member causing the passage therein to be out of register with the port, and a removable plug 12 closing the end of the tubular member adjacent to the head detachablefrom the latter to P rmit removal of lint from the interior of the tubular member.

21. A pneumatic thread remover unitfor a weft replenishing loom, said unit including a support, a tubular member secured to the support and having a conical head at one end there of through which extends a port communicating with the interior of the tubular member, a thread remover member p-ivotally mounted on the tubular member and having a bearing fitting said head and having an air passage therein leading from said head to a thread intake mouth, a spring between the support and the remover member holding thebearing in close fit with said head, and said head being formed with a shallow recess communicating with and extending circumferentially from said ports, the remover member when in one angular position with respect to the tubular member registering the air passage therein with said port and when in a different angular position with respect to the tubular member registering said passage with said recess.

22. A pneumatic thread remover unit for a Weft replenishing loom, said unit including a support, hollow means secured to the support and having a conical head member at one end thereof through which extends a port communicating with the interior of the hollow means, a thread remover member pivotally mounted on the hollow means and having a bearing fitting said head and having an air passage therein leading from said head member to a thread intake mouth, a spring between the support and the remover member holding the bearing in close fit with said head, and one of said members having a shallow recess communicating with and extending circumferentially from said port, the remover member when in one angular position with respect to the tubular member registering the air passage therein with said port and when in a different angular position with respect to the tubular member registering the air passage therein with The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,448,161 Turner Aug. 31, 1948 2,475,987

Peterson July 12, 1949 

